Here’s What Craft Beer Lovers Should Be Drinking on Valentine’s Day

Beer might not immediately come to mind when it comes to the most romantic (and in some cases, loneliest) day of the year, but it can be a festive and relatively inexpensive way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. You can find plenty of options that satisfy V-Day’s greatest hits–chocolates, roses, fresh fruit, even Champagne and caviar. Whether you can’t wait for February 14 or are absolutely dreading its arrival, here are some beers that you’re bound to love on Valentine’s Day.

The Perfect Pair

Find out which glass makes the ideal match for your chosen beer.

Rosehip, the assertively tart fruit of Valentine’s Day’s signature flower, is a featured addition to this pinot noir barrel-aged Saison from the land of the midnight sun. Sweet and sour, with a hint of spice thanks to whole peppercorns and a restrained hoppy presence, Love Buzz is pure nirvana.

The inspiration behind Carton’s Valentine’s Day stout doesn’t exactly scream romance. “It’s like you forgot Valentine’s Day and stopped at a drug store on the way home and grabbed a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a dozen cheap roses and tried to cover your butt,” according to brewery co-founder Augie Carton. Thankfully, Cupid more than exceeds those lackluster expectations. An ample dose of chocolate malts brings rich cocoa flavor while the addition of rose petals shines on the aroma. As an added bonus, the beer comes in “nitro” cans which allow a mix of nitrogen and oxygen to pressurize the beer, ensuring a wonderfully smooth and creamy mouthfeel.

If its name and 6.66 percent ABV didn’t give it away, Alesmith’s legendary My Bloody Valentine is a beer brewed for those who are loveless on February 14–hey, we’ve all been there. Just like celebrating V-Day on your own, this hopped-up red ale leaves a bitter taste, but in the case of MBV, it’s actually a good thing.

Urban Artifact used over a ton and a half of fresh white peaches and 30 grams of vanilla beans for Love Letter, which is part of the Cincinnati-based brewery’s famed Midwest Fruit Tart line. This beer version of peaches and cream is best enjoyed with 112 cranked all the way up.

Let’s be honest, this beer is a little randy. Its origins date back to 1996, when Foothills head honcho Jamie Bartholomaus (then a student at the University of Georgia) was trying to come up with a Valentine’s Day beer and he happened to catch a screening of the Eddie Murphy classic “Coming to America.” A certain band featured in the film proved to be the inspiration Bartholomaus needed, resulting in a lovely cocoa-infused imperial stout that tastes so fine. Enjoy it with a burger from McDowell’s.

If you’re looking for a no-frills coffee and chocolate-forward brew, then Love is all you need. But if Love isn’t enough, the beer happens to pair perfectly with oysters. The stout and bivalve aphrodisiacs go together like Netflix and chill if you know what I mean–wink wink, nudge nudge.

Great Lake’s 30th anniversary release offers a no-shucking alternative to the traditional stout-oyster coupling. That’s because the beer is brewed with freshly harvested East Coast oysters. You’ll experience the dark, roasty notes of an imperial stout along with a subtle brininess in a single sip. Sounds crazy, but it actually works.

Danish microbrewery To Øl is known for its way out-of-the-box offerings and #YOLOmælk certainly fits the bill. The unusual stout features Champagne yeast and caviar (that’s right, fish eggs) which offer a salty touch. If you want to fulfill those Champagne wishes and caviar dreams without splurging on a bottle of Dom P. and a tin of Russia’s finest, here’s your chance.

Give the Gift That Keeps on Giving

Want to treat someone (yourself included) to a little something special? See our guide to the best beer subscriptions.

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.